How much prison time is ChudTheBuilder facing? Bond set at $1.25 million

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After being charged in connection with a shooting near a Tennessee courthouse, streamer ChudTheBuilder is being held on a $1.25 million bond.

Dalton Eatherly, 28, who goes by “ChudTheBuilder” online, was arrested after a shooting on May 13th near the courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee. Both Eatherly and another man were hurt in the incident, but authorities say their injuries weren’t life-threatening and they were taken to local hospitals in stable condition.

Eatherly is known in the community for making videos where he uses racist language towards Black people and tries to start arguments. He and another man are now facing charges related to a recent incident that involved shooting.

ChudTheBuilder is being held on a $1.25 million bond and faces several charges, including attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, and using a firearm while committing a dangerous felony.

— TopMob (@TopMob) May 15, 2026

ChudTheBuilder bond set at $1.25 million

During his court appearance on May 15th, Eatherly’s bail was set at $1,250,000. To get out of jail before his trial, he would either need to pay the full amount in cash or with property, or pay a non-refundable fee of about $125,000 to a bail bondsman.

He’s been charged with four crimes: trying to kill someone, using a gun while committing a serious felony, aggravated assault, and putting someone in danger with a deadly weapon. Authorities say he’s currently held at the Montgomery County Jail.

In Tennessee, attempting to kill someone is a serious crime, classified as a Class A felony, and could result in a prison sentence of 15 to 25 years for a first-time offender. Using a gun during the commission of any dangerous felony is also a separate crime under Tennessee law (specifically, Tennessee Code § 39-17-1324). This means someone could face additional charges and penalties for using a firearm during the attempted homicide.

If a firearm is involved, the sentence automatically increases by six to ten years, and this time is added to the penalty for the attempted homicide, meaning the sentences are served one after the other, not concurrently.

In Tennessee, if someone uses a gun while committing or trying to commit a serious crime, the law requires them to serve 100% of their sentence – meaning they are not eligible for parole.

Bond for Chud the Builder set at $1.25M

— WKRN News 2 (@WKRN) May 15, 2026

Since attempted first-degree murder falls under Tennessee’s strict sentencing laws for crimes committed after July 1, 2022, if Eatherly is convicted, they may have to serve their entire sentence without the possibility of parole.

If convicted on all counts and given the maximum sentence for each, the defendant could face up to 56 years in prison. This assumes the sentences would be served one after another, rather than at the same time.

If convicted of attempted homicide and the related firearm charge, he could face a minimum sentence of 21 years, plus fines of up to $78,000, not including additional court fees or payments to victims.

The shooting occurred while Eatherly was already free on a $5,000 bond related to a previous case in Nashville. According to police, he was arrested in that earlier incident for allegedly continuing to livestream inside a restaurant after being asked to stop, and for refusing to pay a bill of almost $400.

The investigation into the Montgomery County shooting is ongoing. While Eatherly has been charged in connection with the courthouse shooting, a conviction and any potential sentence will be decided by the court.

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2026-05-15 18:19